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definitions

Idioms

    no worries, Informal. Don’t be troubled; it is of no concern: If you can’t make it to the party, no worries.Also not to worry.

Origin of worry

before 900; Middle English weryen, werwen, wyrwyn to strangle, bite, harass, Old English wyrgan to strangle; cognate with German würgen
Related formswor·ri·er, nounwor·ri·less, adjectivewor·ry·ing·ly, adverb

Synonyms for worry

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR worry ON THESAURUS.COM
3. tease, harry, hector, badger, disquiet. 6. apprehension, solicitude, disquiet, misgiving, fear.

Synonym study

3. Worry, annoy, harass all mean to disturb or interfere with someone's comfort or peace of mind. To worry is to cause anxiety, apprehension, or care: to worry one's parents. To annoy is to vex or irritate by continued repetition of interferences: to annoy the neighbors. Harass implies long-continued worry and annoyance: Cares of office harass a president. 6. See concern.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for worry

pain, apprehension, uncertainty, misgiving, doubt, uneasiness, misery, woe, fear, headache, anguish, problem, concern, annoy, depress, disturb, unsettle, perturb, bother, upset

Examples from the Web for worry

Contemporary Examples of worry

Historical Examples of worry

  • I can't remember when I haven't awakened to doubt, and worry, and heart-sickness.

    The Spenders

    Harry Leon Wilson

  • He began to worry seriously about keeping Mr. Hichens out of his house.

  • By George, he'd fool her, for once: he'd go away, and let her worry.

    K

    Mary Roberts Rinehart

  • Tell Mrs. Drummond he was in good spirits, and that she's not to worry.

    K

    Mary Roberts Rinehart

  • It doesn't seem to bother him any, so I don't see why it should worry me.

British Dictionary definitions for worry

worry

verb -ries, -rying or -ried

to be or cause to be anxious or uneasy, esp about something uncertain or potentially dangerous
(tr) to disturb the peace of mind of; botherdon't worry me with trivialities
(intr; often foll by along or through) to proceed despite difficulties
(intr often foll by away) to struggle or workto worry away at a problem
(tr) (of a dog, wolf, etc) to lacerate or kill by biting, shaking, etc
(when intr, foll by at) to bite, tear, or gnaw (at) with the teetha dog worrying a bone
(tr) to move as specified, esp by repeated pushesthey worried the log into the river
(tr) to touch or poke repeatedly and idly
obsolete to choke or cause to choke
not to worry informal you need not worry

noun plural -ries

a state or feeling of anxiety
a person or thing that causes anxiety
an act of worrying
no worries informal an expression used to express agreement or to convey that something is proceeding or has proceeded satisfactorily; no problem
Derived Formsworrying, adjectiveworryingly, adverb

Word Origin for worry

Old English wyrgan; related to Old Frisian wergia to kill, Old High German wurgen (German (er) würgen to strangle), Old Norse virgill, urga rope
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for worry
v.

Old English wyrgan "to strangle," from West Germanic *wurgijanan (cf. Middle Dutch worghen, Dutch worgen, Old High German wurgen, German würgen "to strangle," Old Norse virgill "rope"), from PIE *wergh- "to turn" (see wring). Related: Worrisome; worrying.

The oldest sense was obsolete in English after c.1600; meaning "annoy, bother, vex," first recorded 1670s, developed from that of "harass by rough or severe treatment" (1550s), as of dogs or wolves attacking sheep. Meaning "to cause mental distress or trouble" is attested from 1822; intransitive sense of "to feel anxiety or mental trouble" is first recorded 1860.

n.

1804, from worry (v.).

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper